Its all the same, right?

[Boozy]

I've got a pet peeve.
I live in Canada, and not directly on the US border, either. So it drives me nuts when someone walks into my store, tosses a US twenty on the counter, and just assumes I'll take it, no problems.
Now there are two different kinds of Americans we get up here. The first type pull their cash out of their wallets and tentatively hand it to me, asking "Gee, I don't suppose you'll take this? I haven't gotten to the ATM yet up here." These Americans are no big deal, because they're so nice about it. We actually DO take US currency, and I don't mind going through a little extra trouble for nice people. And I should make it clear that this type of polite American traveller FAR outnumbers the other kind....
These are the American SCs who toss their US currency onto the counter, say nothing, and continue to look around the store, chat with their friends etc. All I want is a little bit of acknowledgement that a) YOU ARE IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY THAT HAS ITS OWN CURRENCY, and b) as a result, it will be a pain in the ass for me to take that US twenty (we don't have a computerized till). You were too lazy or ignorant to get your US cash exchanged for Canadian, and now its MY problem?
Again...I don't mind doing it for nice people. Its the ones who say stupid crap like, "Its all the same, right?" or, "Canadians use American money, just like the rest of the world" that get to me.
Its our fault as Canadians, too. Almost every store in the country will take US cash. The only reason an American would bother doing an exchange before coming to Canada is to get a better rate. A tip to Americans travelling to Canada: Do your currency exchange at a bank! The retail stores up here will totally rip you off.

[Cedophile]

"Canadians use American money, just like the rest of the world" that get to me.

Yeah, sure. Go anywhere else on the planet and see if they'll take your money. For christ's sake, foreign airport shops don't even take American money.

[Jester]

Um, actually, in Mexico they LOVE taking our American money.

Just saying.

[Becks]

Should I horde the Canadian penny I got as change yesterday, or should I spend it as quickly as possible before the American dollar recovers?

[Quicksilver]

I worked in retail and in restaurants in a community that was near a Canadian border and people would be pissed all the time when I wouldn't take their Canadian coins and it is the same answer I think you should give: You are not in YOUR country right now, so therefore, that is NOT money. If you think about it, it's just copper or silver or paper.

[Ryu]

i went to the bahamas for a class and they took american money
their currency was worth less so we would have been better off exchanging our money beforehand if we had known but oh well
i ended up getting a bill for a souvenir haha
but yeah i would never assume that they took my currency in another country unless there was nowhereto exchange your money

[Sir Spaniard the 12th]

"Canadians use American money, just like the rest of the world" that get to me.

That one p*sses me off just imagining it. I mean, if someone here handed me a US bill, hell, I'd take it. If they were polite. But if they said that, I'd tell them to shove it somewhere uncomfortable and come back with some local dosh.

[digilight]

If I were you (or other canadian retail slaves) I would think about a 1-to-1 exchange rate for canadian purchases paid for by jack ass americans with green backs (its technically called a PIA (pain in the ass) tax)

[The Gatekeeper]

My response was always along the lines of, "would you take Canadian money this far from your border? No? Then guess what? The bank is down the hall on your left. Next."

[Gravekeeper]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7mgV_ZxDLk

Thats all I have to add to this discussion.

[Giggle Goose]

i went to the bahamas for a class and they took american money
their currency was worth less so we would have been better off exchanging our money beforehand if we had known but oh well

I've been to the Bahamas (and man, do I want to go back!) I knew that they were happy to take American money, but just watch out for the ones who will give you Bahamian money back in change. They think you're too drunk to notice sometimes....and most people are!!!!

[Argabarga]

There's a fair bit of Canadian coinage floting around the tills at work, most people I assume spend it without ever noticing it's not US currency..

Oh well, as long as the customer and the store agree that it's just as good, then no harm no foul....

[Maevis]

I live in the US not too far from the Canadian border, and not ONCE, not EVER has anyone tried to pay with Canadian money.

Though I did have a Canadian who was pissed off that I couldn't use his ATM card.
(I had to swipe it through my card reader to prove it to him)...Then again that's a stupid issue and not a country issue...I have plenty of American's who can't figure out that an ATM card is NOT the same thing as a Debit Card.

[Mr. Rude]

I always accept yankee cash...
Me: Minus our exchange charges...Brokerage fee...Excise tax...umm global tax...Hey look!! It works out to be at par now

Cust: HEY!! You're just gonna walk to the bank & get a better exchange rate anyways!!

Me: Mhmm....Just like you could have done. Anything else today

[alphaboi]

I went to Australia & New Zealand with People to People when I was 15. Despite all of the info sessions and classes we had in the 9 months leading to the trip (1 per month) one kid had problems with the money. Unlike everybody else who's parents got them credit cards (or traveller's checks) his sent him with cash (and told him that "everybody's glad to get American monery") and personal checks. The checks were useless and although he quickly figured to exchange his money he still ran out of spending money midway through the trip.